TECHNOLOGY: Podcast will disappear behind paywalls

Friday, May 21, 2021

https://theconversation.com/apple-threatens-to-upend-podcastings-free-open-architecture-160318

The Conversation – Articles (US)

Apple threatens to upend podcasting’s free, open architecture
by John Sullivan, Professor of Media and Communication, Muhlenberg College

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A medium that exploded due to the lack of institutional gatekeepers is now seeing big tech companies act like traditional media networks, signing popular hosts and shows to exclusive contracts. Of course, other publishers like Slate and Stitcher have offered subscriptions to their shows via their own websites and mobile apps. But the m

uch larger audience share of Apple Podcasts and Spotify has much greater potential to move the podcast ecosystem in the direction of premium paid content.

This presents a potential long-term threat to the free, open architecture of podcasting, though projects like The Podcast Index are aiming to preserve the medium as platform-agnostic.

One thing is for certain: Apple and Spotify have given us a glimpse of a podcasting future where the walled gardens of platform-exclusive, premium content become the norm.

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The Podcast Index are aiming to preserve the medium as platform-agnostic.

Guess that’s all that can save us from paywalls and the Apple Tax?

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TECHNOLOGY: Small developers get “Sherlocked”; that’s one word for it.

Sunday, March 19, 2017

https://www.howtogeek.com/297651/what-does-it-mean-when-a-company-sherlocks-an-app/

What Does It Mean When Apple “Sherlocks” an App?

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Perhaps you’ve read that F.lux, which reduces eye strain and helps you sleep, is being “Sherlocked” later this month. What does that mean? In short, “Sherlocked” means that macOS will soon offer features that make installing the popular third-party tool F.lux unnecessary. When macOS 10.11.4—the latest update for Sierra—comes out, the “Displays” panel in System Preferences will offer the Night Shift feature that debuted on iPhones last year. For lifelong Apple fans, this term barely needs explanation, but recent converts might feel confused. So, let’s take a look at where the term “Sherlocked” comes from.

*** and ***

In a blog post, Wood said Steve Jobs told him Apple can and will do this to developers on the platform. Here’s Wood paraphrasing a phone call from Jobs himself:

“You know those handcars, the little machines that people stand on and pump to move along on the train tracks? That’s Karelia. Apple is the steam train that owns the tracks.”

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Well, it’s better to be quick and nimble than slow and stiff.

That’s Apple “slow and swift”. Independent developers aren’t the only one getting <synonym for the past tense of the procreation act.> by Apple. Look at their planned obsolesce strategy and no thought of the Customer when pulling products. (I was particularly “frosted” when they pulled iWeb!)

So be warned and don’t trust anyone (i.e., MicroSloth; RottenApple; even Google) long term.

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